Direct communication has become the norm.
An interesting thing struck me the other day as I drove home from work. We continually hear of more layoffs of our friends in the news business. Meanwhile, the opportunity for public relations to reach people on behalf of our clients continues to grow.
Its astonishing when you think about it. In a little more than two years, we’ve seen newsrooms decimated by layoffs. Morning shows on local affiliates become what the late Tom Snyder called “simultinis” — that is broadcasting morning drive time radio on TV. News budgets are slashed, competitors pool resources and some “news shows” become strictly pay for coverage.
While this has made some challenges for PR, thanks to social media, we can reach more people than ever, unhindered by editors or time constraints.
When you think of the way media used to look, it’s best to think of it as a four-paned window. Way back then — all of 10 years ago — the four pillars of media stood unchallenged to deliver news to the masses. You had print, radio, TV and the yet-emerging Internet.
Today, that window looks more like a jigsaw puzzle with those four panes playing a much smaller role while joined by Facebook, Twitter, blogs, texts and a multitude of other social media platforms. We at KGBTexas, aggressively engage in social media on behalf of our clients. We currently manage more than a dozen Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and other social media tactics for clients ranging from the local San Antonio area McDonald’s, to PurinaCare Pet Health insurance to SWBC to deliver the messages of those companies directly to the consumer.
We are not alone in engaging in social media to communicate with fans and consumers of our clients’ products. Look at the PGA Tour for example. Long thought of as a bunch of old guys in silly pants, the PGA Tour, its players and a number of the tournaments on tour, actively engage in social media to inform fans and the media of the current going-ons.
This interaction between the Tour, players and fans helps build loyalty and trust between all parties and breeds an open dialogue. This past weekend at the @HPBNC (that’s the HP Byron Nelson Championship on Twitter), I followed the pro I follow on Twitter, @StewartCink. I feel a bond with him by getting to know his thoughts and activities via his Twitter page. The PGA Tour runs a very active Facebook and Twitter account, but the Tour sure didn’t need anymore coverage, with ESPN and an entire cable channel devoted to the sport and the scoring both on (and off, thanks to Tiger) the course. They realized this was the best way to reach their audience directly.
I wonder what the media landscape will look like five years from now. Will that jigsaw puzzle become even more fragmented? Or will the landscape revert to some sort of Pangaea-looking thing. Only time will tell.
